Anthony Davis is heading to Los Angeles, as the Lakers have finally pulled off their long-desired trade for the New Orleans Pelicans star. It cost a pretty penny, but at the end of the day, Los Angeles has a second superstar to pair with LeBron James before they have to worry about free agency.
If the Lakers won the Davis sweepstakes, then the Boston Celtics were arguably the biggest loser. Boston had made no secret that their plan was to make a play for Davis, but ultimately, that did not come to fruition. We can speculate why — perhaps the uncertainty regarding Kyrie Irving’s future gave them cold feet — but according to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Celtics’ reluctance to part with perhaps their most prized asset ended up costing them Davis.
Stein brings word that Danny Ainge refused to put second-year standout Jayson Tatum in a deal, which freed up a path for the Lakers to make a move.
The Boston Celtics refused to make Jayson Tatum available in trade talks with New Orleans, league sources say, putting the Lakers in prime position to strike the deal that teams Anthony Davis with LeBron James
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2019
Tatum has been the crown jewel of Boston’s stash of picks and young players ever since he burst onto the scene as a rookie. While he didn’t take quite the step forward some expected during his sophomore campaign in the league, he is still a young, affordable, and promising scorer who showed during Boston’s playoff run in 2018 that he is capable of being a first option on a team. Still, the Celtics have been rumored to have an eye on Davis for years, and it was reported that everyone would be on the table in pursuit of him back in February, so it’s fascinating that this fell through over the reluctance to include one plyer.
